Take the Sky
by SandalsintheSnow
Summary: Stuck in a cryogenic sleep on Hyperion until they can be returned to Earth, the SeaQuest DSV crew passes the time using telepathic communication and visual dreams to stay connected to each other. Lucas spends most of his time reminiscing about the girl he loved and lost, believing he will never be able to return to Earth in time to find her, again.
1. I have been dead for two years now

Author's Note: This is a Lucas POV story based on the second season of SeaQuest DSV. The female character is an OC that is a blend of Hitchcock (Lucas had a crush on her in Sea1) and Julianna. It is meant to tell the story of what was going on with the crew before they returned to Earth in season 3. It is also a play on what would've happened had Julianna and Lucas been in a relationship.

I don't claim to own any rights to SeaQuest. The show was created by Rockne S. O'Bannon.

**1**:

_Hi. My name is Lucas Wolenczak and I have been dead for two years now._

_Okay, maybe I'm not necessarily dead. It all happened back when the SeaQuest was transferred to Hyperion and a war broke out and we all ended up frozen in chambers until the day when we could come home again. We were meant to come back almost immediately, but then a war broke out on the Earth, and the aliens of Hyperion decided it would be better if we stayed frozen. So, technically, I'm not dead, but Earth doesn't know that._

_Things were just getting good before I left Earth. I found this beautiful red head with green eyes and a spunky personality, and I was about to ask her out on our first date. Bridger was thinking of promoting me to work on computers for the SeaQuest full time, and my best friend Wolfman was just about to join the SeaQuest as a computer analyst with me. The SeaQuest was even making plans to build a fleet, the SeaQuest DSV and the SeaWest, which would have basically all my friends back at work. Hitchcock, Krieg, and Westphalen would take on the SeaWest, captained by Oliver Hudson, and the SeaQuest would have Ford, O'Neill, and you know the rest, all captained by Bridger. It was supposed to be a plan in case a war broke out and we needed more than one submarine to take all the work, but before the SeaWest was built, we were brought to Hyperion._

_Tobias actually comes and visits us once in a while, and strangely, I can hear him through the ice that contains me. He told us that the SeaWest was in fact built after we disappeared, and it isn't having as much luck as we did holding back enemies. Wolfman is actually chief computer analyst on the SeaWest, lucky dog. I wonder if he even has a dolphin named Starwin or something, just to make the parallel even weirder._

_Hyperion is an alien planet, and therefore it makes you do alien things. I somehow have the ability to recall memories like dreams, and I watch them play out in my head as I sleep. I can also project my mind to see what's happening on Earth from time to time, but that one is a lot harder than recalling memories. Sometimes I've been able to telepathically communicate with Tony, Darwin, Dagwood and Bridger, but that is also a come-and-go quality. Mostly I spend my time reliving my life and the time before I died on Earth. It's actually a long story, and since I'm not going anywhere, I might as well tell it. I can already see it in my mind…_

* * *

><p>"Lucas? Lucas Wolenczak?"<p>

I looked up from my magazine on interstellar communication and observed the man standing before me. He was balding, short, and dressed in a suit. Probably something from the UEO again. The man handed me a bunch of papers as I nodded my head to answer his question, and he left without saying goodbye. Definitely UEO.

The papers were composed of various graphs, images, descriptions, and all the crap that comes with UEO work. They wanted you to have all the facts before they told you what stupid thing you had to do this time. It was probably going to be life threatening or the hardest thing I've ever done, because that's how the UEO worked. Sometimes I really hated my job.

One of the papers caught my eye. I checked it out, running through the words until I noticed something about a project. Yep, it looked complicated.

PROJECT A-73B

"Rogue Hacker"

Recently, the UEO has come upon a hacker attempting to open classified government files. No information has been found except the hacker is female and very intelligent. She is able to complicate even the toughest firewalls, using a series of viruses and Trojans to distract security software so she can go in through another route.

The only computer she has been unable to hack into was created by Wolenczak, Lucas. She is unfortunately getting smarter and may find a way to hack into this software as well.

DR. STEVE BOWER

UEO COMPUTER OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

I read through the file again and again. I couldn't believe that some girl had actually gotten close to hacking into my software! I had built that over a period of years and even I had trouble getting into the program! They probably gave me this information because they wanted me to stop her. Great. Hackers were about the hardest enemy a computer analyst had. Even the UEO couldn't get information on who it was or what program they were using to hack in. This looked like a job for the Great Lucas Wolenczak.

* * *

><p><em>I didn't know at the time how complicated things would get. I thought that it would be a tough job, but I would eventually find the hacker, stop her, and that would be the end of it. Surely there would be nothing more to do, right?<em>

_I couldn't have been more wrong._


	2. I think we'll be frozen for a long time

_Laura Fletcher was the best friend of Dr. Smith back on Earth. She worked at the Chatton Parapsychology Center and she always had an open mind to things that were strange and unusual. I started talking to her through her dreams a short time after I was frozen, and she was the one who told me most of what was happening on Earth. Dr. Smith herself was injured when the SeaQuest was shot at before we were frozen, and I think she doesn't talk to me as much because she's not at her prime. _

We were walking down a beach, and Laura was dressed in a long white gown while I still had my baggy shirt and jeans. She asked plainly, "Any news yet on your status?"

"I think we'll be frozen for a long time," I replied.

"The UEO has still declared you and your friends 'missing persons'," Laura relayed.

"Technically, we are missing, but not on Earth," I countered.

"The war on Earth is not going for the better. The SeaWest is still having trouble getting around," Laura explained.

"With Wolfman as their computer expert, they should be alright," I answered.

"Wolfman?" Laura asked.

"Nick," I answered.

"Even with a computer expert, the SeaWest still needs the SeaQuest to truly do any damage. I am not sure how long I will be able to stay at Chatton before we are refugees," Laura said.

"I hope you never have to go that far," I replied.

* * *

><p><em>Back before all these wars and Hyperion and everything happened, I was actually a computer analyst searching for a hacker who was trying to get through my program. As you have probably already guessed, she was the red haired green eyed woman I had met earlier, but I didn't know that until I found out where she lived through one of her hacking attempts. I went to her house, sat down in her kitchen, and surveyed her every move.<em>

"So you're the one who's been hacking into my system," I said.

"The one and only. I'm surprised you found me already," she, now known as Lily, countered.

"It wasn't too hard, you left your signature all over the place," I replied.

"I really thought I could get through your system. I'm surprised it took me this long," Lily relayed.

"Took you this long? You mean you already have?" I asked.

"Yeah, I got through a few things, but I only got generally unclassified files of the UEO, nothing big," Lily answered.

She showed me on her laptop what she had gone through. It was a pretty complex system, and I was surprised she could even create something like it. I was intrigued.

"Well, now that you've found me, you'll probably have to tell the UEO, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, it is my duty," I answered.

"I'll have to move now. You'll probably never see me again," she replied.

"I doubt that," I countered.

_I told the UEO where she was, but by then she had conveniently vanished. I figured I would catch her somewhere hiding in the shadows of Hackerville, ready to destroy any program I decided to put up. I re-setup the system, but I made a small wormhole so I could get her location if she tried to hack in again. I really liked this chick. She was pretty, smart, and she knew what she wanted. She was my kind of girl._

"Lucas? You there?"

_It was Tony. He was telepathically trying to talk to me, even in our frozen state, and I knew that he would probably say something smartass or generally annoying if I answered him, but I did anyway. _

"What?" I asked.

"I think I need to pee," Tony replied.

"Tony, we're in a suspended frozen state. Basically our bodies get nutrition through a system of tubes and our waste also goes through the process. If you have to pee, you can just pee," I explained.

"But my crotch is frozen," Tony answered.

_I hadn't really thought about that until now. Leave it up to Tony to find something drastically interesting and yet horribly disgusting about our current situation._


	3. What happens if we stay here forever?

_At the time, I don't think I was considering what was happening on Hyperion. I was frozen, for Pete's sake. Stuck in some chamber with my friends and co-workers all around me and a million thoughts going through my head. I could hear Tobias when he came around to tell us what was going on, and I wondered if anyone else could hear him too. He usually rambled on about things like, "The weather is looking great," or, "We'll have you out of here in no time," but I think he was just trying to be nice. He proved me right when he came today, because what he had to say was anything but ordinary._

"It appears that we are under attack from several alien subspecies. We didn't suspect it would get further than a war over territory, but now they have destroyed our ships and communications, and they are planning to destroy our homes. This means that we will have to move your chambers to an underground safehouse where I will take care of you along with several of my friends. I'm not sure what that means for you, but I'm thinking we will be on Hyperion for a long, long time."

"What?! We can't be here for too long! Earth needs us!" Tony shouted.

"Dagwood will stay here. It's nice and cold," Dagwood countered.

I couldn't hear what the others were saying mentally, but Tobias seemed to understand as he answered, "Yes, Captain Bridger, I've taken care of that. The SeaQuest has been repaired and was put at the bottom of our ocean to keep it safe from the other aliens. If they were to capture the SeaQuest, things would be beyond our hands."

He listened again for a moment, then said, "Dr. Smith, we are working to find an antidote for your infection. It is one that we have not had on our planet before, so it is harder to get what Earth would have in a large supply."

Again Tobias grew quiet, then he responded, "Yes, Ford, we will have that ready in no time."

_Then he left, and I was unsure what to think next. If we were going underground, did that mean we wouldn't get off of Hyperion for years? If that was true, that meant that it could be decades in Earth time. _

"Lucas! What're you thinkin' about this?" Tony asked suddenly.

"I'm thinking we're going to be here for a while," I replied.

"What happens if we stay here forever?" Dagwood asked.

"I don't know," I answered.

"Well I ain't stayin' here forever! I've got too many chicks to think about and it's drivin' me crazy!" Tony shouted in my head.

"Don't worry Tony, I'm sure they'll find a way to get us back to Earth in time," I half-truthed.

_I really wasn't sure what to think. I wondered how our bodies would take extreme cold for so long. I wondered if we would even survive all of this. I wanted to be back on Earth so bad at that moment. I wanted to say good-bye to my friends and tell my dad to blow off. I wanted to build some genius computer system and make a trillion dollars like Bill Gates. I wanted to be with Lily again, chasing her through cyberspace again. That's what I was pretty much doing until we left to Hyperion. I guess I left off after the first time we met. Well, Lily wasn't hard to find again, and I chased her for several months before I caught on to a location at an abandoned warehouse in Florida. I went to find her myself, and that was quite an experience._

"Lily, I'll have to tell the UEO where you are," I said.

"No, you don't have to say anything. I'll be gone from here before they catch me, you know that," Lily replied.

"It doesn't matter. If they found out I was here, they would think I was tipping you off and they would fire me from trying to find you," I explained.

"But you are tipping me off!" Lily protested.

"I know, but they can't know that," I replied.

_I got really close to her then. I thought about kissing her, even though I knew we couldn't have a relationship and our months of cyber-chasing didn't count, but I really thought about it seriously. I looked into her green eyes, and she seemed upset, like she wanted to kiss me too but she knew that it would change things. Then she looked at me strangely, and I wondered what was wrong._

"I'm sorry," she said.

_Then the roof caved in._


	4. Even the dolphin was suspicious

_So, we were moved underground to get away from the war on Hyperion. It wasn't an easy move, and Tony complained the whole way._

"Why do you want to put us down here? We're gonna suffocate! I can already feel my breathing going down! What about my gills? What if the water in my tank evaporates? Then my gills won't have any water! What about the women on Hyperion? They can't see me if I'm underground! Hey! Hey! Are you listening to me? I'm serious! I'm Tony Piccolo and I will kick you in the cajoles if you don't listen to me! Hey!"

_I thought about reasoning with him, but Tony wouldn't quit. He felt like we were going to be down here for eternity. _

"What if the war never ends? What if we get stuck down here and everyone who knows where we are dies and then we're stuck here forever! Lucas! What are we going to do? You're the genius! Think of something!" Tony shouted.

"Dagwood liked underground. It makes Dagwood feel safer," Dagwood stated.

"What are you talking about, Dag? Nobody can find us down here! We're all gonna die!"

_Finally Tobias came and tried to calm Tony down._

"Now, Anthony, everything is going to be alright. We have everything set to sustain life for several thousand years, although we think you'll spend only a few years of that time down here," Tobias stated.

He looked at another pod and answered, "Jonathon, we have everything under control. This is only precaution."

Tobias listened to another pod and replied, "Yes, Timothy O'Neill. We don't have to worry about the SeaQuest DSV anymore. We have placed her in an underwater facility until the time comes where she can come home again."

Then Tobias looked at another pod and stated, "We are still looking into Dr. Smith's condition, Nathan. We believe we will have a cure ready in a few days."

He listened for a moment again, then he said, "Miguel, I understand what you are going through. Being stationary in a vessel with only your own thoughts and dreams to occupy you can be a very boring ordeal, but we have supplied you with a chemical stimulation substitute that allows your muscles to feel exercised so they will remain strong. We are also working on stimulation videos to keep you occupied for the time being. Our dilemma is that we will only have video of our planet and other planets around us, but we do not have access to Earth's video feed."

Tobias listened again and stated, "Lonnie, we will most assuredly help you and the other females with that problem. Everything is in full supply, and if you are having a problem, don't hesitate to ask me about it."

_With that, Tobias left, and little white screens developed just in front of our eyes (at least a screen developed in front of my eyes and I figured it happened to everyone else too). My eyes were frozen in place inside the chamber, but I was able to still communicate to my brain what I was seeing. It was like watching a movie of various planets and their habitats. There were purple skies and neon forests and giant animals, and every time something new would show up, a little voice behind the screen would say the name of the animal and the kind of habitat it lived in. Then it would go into detail and it would explain how that species lived. _

_Although I would've rather watched something other than an imitation nature channel for the next several years (if we were to stay here that long), I felt that it was good enough. It seemed to preoccupy my mind well enough so that I wasn't going completely insane. I could hear Tony cheering and whooping every time a female anything showed up on the screen. Apparently he was watching the same show I was. Dagwood kept giving me feelings of pure content, especially when anything resembling a dolphin showed up. That made me think of how much I missed Darwin. He was probably in one of the chambers with us, but I hadn't thought to ask about it earlier. He was always the one I could talk to whenever I had a problem..._

* * *

><p><em>So the roof caved in. I was knocked out for a while, and when I came to, I wondered if I was dead. It's amazing how an experience like that makes you wish you knew God better than you did moments before. I was able to get up out of the rubble, but when I searched for Lily, she was gone. <em>

_I went back to Bridger and he wasn't very proud of me when I got there. He was a much smarter man than the UEO gave him credit for, and he knew early on that I had a crush on the very person I was supposed to be tracking down to put in prison. Bridger was nice about it, though, and he didn't give me too much of a hard time._

"You know that you have to catch this girl and put her in prison," Bridger said.

"Yeah, I know, but she's just...so intelligent...like me," I stated.

"It doesn't matter, Lucas. She broke the law and she has to pay for that. It's the way the UEO works. If they ever found out you might be helping her..."

"I know, I'll be in trouble. They'll probably assign me a desk job somewhere in the depths of the UEO where I'll never see daylight again," I smirked.

Bridger didn't like the attitude as he responded, "Lucas, I'm serious. Intelligent or not, this girl has done bad things, and you can't be involved with that."

"Yeah, maybe in some parallel universe she would turn out to be an immortal who has to save mankind from the very projects the UEO tried to hide, and I would fall in love with her and we would become this love destined for disaster. Then Krieg would come back as an evil robot and she'd have to destroy him, then we would end up in the future and we would find out that we all died and the pain of our death made her turn into this bad guy so she's now the destroyer of the world..." I explained.

"What?" Bridger asked.

"I uh...I still think this girl is something special," I said.

"Lucas, the result will always end the same, no matter how many ways you put the problem together. She is dangerous, and that's all there is to it."

_I understood what he was saying, but I really wanted to believe otherwise. I wanted to change the truth so that it was something that I could deal with. Lily was a beautiful genius, something you don't find everyday. I decided to take my problems toNick (Wolfman) to see what he thought about the whole thing._

"Is she hot?" Wolfman asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Does she have the same level of intelligence that you have?" he asked.

"Yeah," I answered.

"Then what's the problem!" Wolfman stated.

"The problem is she's a criminal on the run," I pointed out.

"I still think you should go for it. The bad girl on the run, it sounds hot," Wolfman replied.

"No, Bridger's right, I shouldn't trust her," I reasoned.

"Alright, all kidding aside, Lucas, I think that you should turn this girl in and let her get convicted. Then when she gets out, ask her out on a date," Wolfman explained.

_I knew that what I was thinking about doing was wrong. Lily was a criminal after all, and to become involved with such a person could cost me everything I have and more. I took my problem to Darwin, and I asked him what he thought._

"Darwin needs to see girl. Then Darwin will tell."

_Even the dolphin was suspicious._


	5. And we haven't even kissed

_So I was at a loss about Lily. I wanted to get closer to her, but my friends (except Wolfman) were telling me she was bad news. It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out, but did I listen? Of course not. I was obsessed with looking for the one woman who could understand me. You know, now that I'm cryogenically frozen, it really makes me think of how nonsensical my actions were. But what the hell, I wasn't going to listen to sense._

"Lucas! I'm starting to lose it!" Tony shouted.

"It has only been three days, Tony, keep it down," I replied.

"Three days? Three days? Do you know how much I could do in three days? I could be in Vegas catching ladies and gambling all my hard earned money! I could be on the beach with the most beautiful chick who's only spending the weekend there and she doesn't want attachments! I could've done great things in three days! It's too much time!"

"Tony, we're gonna be here a lot longer than three days. I think you should calm down," I started.

"Dagwood is calm. Dagwood can stay here for a long time," Dagwood stated.

"That's because you're a GELF! We're people with short lives and we only keep our young faces for a few years! I need to flaunt myself!" Tony protested.

_Then I heard another voice coming in. It was faint at first, barely climbing through the reaches of the back of my mind. Then it became stronger, and I knew who it was._

"Dr. Smith. I've been waiting to talk to you," I said.

"I'm sorry I haven't gotten to you sooner, Lucas. I have been sick for a while, but Tobias has just started a new medicine to help me get better. How is everyone?"

"I'm not totally sure. From what I've heard, they're all fine," I stated.

"You've been keeping contact with Tony and Dagwood?" Smith asked.

"And Laura Fletcher on Earth. She was hoping to speak with you as soon as possible," I replied.

"Lucas, you are showing signs of heightened abilities. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I uh...I didn't know I was doing anything extraordinary. I was just focusing my thoughts like you showed me," I explained.

"I think Darwin's company has helped to heighten your senses."

_That made me think of Darwin, and when I did, I got the image that Darwin was frozen too, watching a screen with dolphins on it. I wondered why Tobias didn't just let Darwin swim around in their oceans, but then the image was gone and it was back to Smith._

"Lucas, do you remember how long we're supposed to be here?"

"Yeah, uh...several years or something. There's a war going on in Hyperion and on Earth. We happened to be caught between them."

"Yes, I heard about that. I'll check on everybody else, then I'll work with getting to Laura. Thank you, Lucas."

"No problem."

_With Smith out, I started thinking about Earth again. I remember that I had tracked Lily again through a series of computer trails, and she ended up in Colorado. A the time, I was on the SeaQuest and we were headed toward Africa, so I decided to take a stab at finding out what sites her computer had visited. I found a chatroom, and I easily caught her username when I logged in. _

LILY21: Is that you, Lucas?

SQRULZ: The one and only.

LILY21: What are you doing here? How do you always find me?

SQRULZ: I have my ways. What are you doing in Colorado?

LILY21: I like the colors of the trees in the fall. How did you find me?

SQRULZ: It's a mystical secret taken by the ancients. If I tell you, I would have to kill you.

LILY21: Haha, very funny. Were you hurt when the roof caved in?

SQRULZ: Yeah, broke most of the bones in my body. I was in the hospital for several months.

LILY21: You liar! I made it so that the roof would possibly knock you out, but it wasn't going to do any damage!

SQRULZ: Damage is my middle name.

LILY21: It is not!

SQRULZ: When can I see you again.

LILY21: Never. You know that.

SQRULZ: Even if I track you down and use my boyish charms to swoon you?

LILY21: LOL even that.

SQRULZ: I have a fancy car.

LILY21: I have a fancy computer.

SQRULZ: I have a dolphin.

LILY21: Ooohhh, that changes everything.

SQRULZ: Really, is there somewhere we could meet when I get back to land?

LILY21: You'll have to track me, Wolenczak. There's no other way. Even then, I'll try to kill you again.

SQRULZ: You promise?

LILY21: You won't even see it coming.

_Lily21 has left the chatroom._

* * *

><p><em>Maybe I should've listened to the warning and let it go. Maybe I should've minded my own business and left everything to the wind. Did I? No. I had to find Lily for myself. As soon as we docked at New Cape Quest, I was on a plane to Colorado. By the time I got there, Lily was gone. All that was left was a little note that said:<em>

_Lucas,_

_I knew you would try to track me down. It's getting harder and harder to hide from you (not a compliment). Just stay away from me. I'm no good._

_Lily_

_I crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it away. Yet another warning to stay away from the girl and I still didn't want to listen. Me and my inflated heart. I had to keep pursuing the quest to find the girl I would've called my true love, if I knew more about her. _

_And we haven't even kissed._


	6. I was touched by bliss

"We're planning to put in a new device that will allow you all to speak to each other telepathically. It will be easier to understand where one another is, and you will be able to converse with each other on a more general basis."

_So Tobias had given us the ability to talk to each other telepathically through a series of electrical currents in our brains. I expected to hear some commotion when we were all finally linked, but what I got was a mess._

"Lucas? Are you alright?" Bridger asked.

"I'm fine," I replied.

"Lonnie, are you alright?" Ford asked.

"I'm fine. How about you, Tim?" Lonnie asked.

"I'm okay. Where's Brody?" Tim asked.

"I'm right here. I can't believe this. I never believed anyone could actually telepathically talk to someone else. I think my pants are caught on something," Brody replied.

"Ortiz? Where is Ortiz?" Tim asked.

"I'm right here. I've been waiting for someone to say something to me. Hey, can anyone hear my thoughts?" Ortiz asked.

"No, Miguel, you would have to think about projecting your thoughts to us in order for us to hear them," Smith explained.

"That's a relief, because I wouldn't want any of you to know what I'm thinking," Tony shouted.

"Where's Darwin?" Bridger asked.

"Darwin here. Darwin cold," Darwin replied.

"Dagwood is cold too. Should Dagwood be cold?" Dagwood asked.

"Dagwood, come on! You're cryogenically frozen! Of course you're going to be cold!" Tony protested.

"Now, let's calm down...I think I have a wedgie," Brody said.

"Alright, does anyone know what is going on on Earth?" Ford asked.

"I've been communicating with Lara Fletcher. She has been telling me that Earth is under war and a new SeaWest was built to take our place," I explained.

"Who are the crew members on that?" Bridger asked.

"Krieg, Katie, Westphalen, Dr. Joshua Levin, Chief Shan, Wolfman, some other guys we don't know, and Captain Oliver Hudson is leading it," I explained.

"Who's Wolfman?" Brody asked.

"Who's Katie?" Lonnie asked.

"Who's Hudson?" Bridger asked.

"Why can't I feel my toes?" Tony asked.

"Alright, calm down, guys. Wolfman was my friend in computer science, Katie, Krieg, Westphalen, Levin and Shan were all from when we started the SeaQuest," I explained.

"Why do I feel tired?" Lonnie asked.

"Tobias installed a sleep system so we wouldn't be up for so long. He programmed it to put us to sleep..." Smith drifted off.

_So there I was, asleep again, and thinking of times when I was not always this friendly. After learning about Lily, and after going through hours of research trying to find her, I began to take on a bad boy look. The leather jacket, the sunglasses, the I-haven't-shaved-in-several-days-and-I-don't-care-about-it look. It all came together, and I was trying to fly above the rest with my attitude and overall arrogance. It wasn't that I was trying to change myself, but it was more about trying on a new look. I wanted to be the bad boy for once, the guy on top, the one who always has cool things to say, even in the toughest of times._

_Needless to say, I failed miserably._

_I finally found Lily again, and this time I tracked her down to a restaurant where I knew she couldn't make roofs cave in on me or kill me in public. I sat down across from her, tried to act cool, and said, _"So, how's it going?"

"You look different. What's changed about you?" Lily asked.

"Nothing. I always look this way," I lied.

"You do not. You're trying to impress me, aren't you? God, Lucas, I told you to stay away from me, so you change your whole personality and try to track me down again. What have you learned from all this?" Lily asked.

"That being unshaven for several days itches," I joked.

"That's not funny, Lucas. I told you to leave me alone. Why won't you listen to me?" Lily asked.

"You see, men have this filtered hearing problem, some disorder from back when we first became Homo Sapien Sapiens, and we tend to be arrogant toward the part about leaving girls alone. It's not in our nature," I explained.

"That's funny, real funny (she was pissed). I'm going to give you to the count of three, then I'm bailing out of here and you're not coming with me."

"Go ahead, count away," I replied.

"One..." she started.

"One and a half," I went on.

"Two..." she continued.

"Two and three quarters," I countered.

"Three!" she stopped.

_Lily got up and took off through the back doors. I headed off after her, and we chased each other through the kitchen, much to the chagrin of the waiters and cooks. I almost had her shoulder when I tripped and ended up falling into her. We both fell to the ground, and I conveniently landed on top of her. I pretended like it was an accident, but inside, I thought it was complete bliss._

"Oops," I said.

"I'm going to kill you," Lily replied.

"You always say that," I countered.

_By then, the cooks were after us, and we only had seconds to get out of there. Without thinking, I planted a kiss right on her lips, and I can't even describe the feeling I had while doing that. Then I got up, helped her up, and let her run off. The cooks tackled me down as I let her go, but I didn't really care. _

_I was touched by bliss. _


	7. I missed her

_I was having a hard time adjusting to life without Lily after that first kiss. I hadn't been able to find her, no matter how hard I searched through my computer. She had apparently figured out how I was doing things, so she changed her ways to keep me away. I was on shore leave one day, after four months of not seeing Lily anywhere. I was beginning to believe that maybe she really didn't want me. I missed our little game of chase. I missed her._

_Then she showed up when I was in an open bar by the beach. She ordered a martini and said, _"You haven't found me in a while."

"I've been looking," I claimed.

"I'm sure you have. How have you been since I was gone?" she asked.

"Miserable. It isn't the same when I'm not chasing a criminal," I answered.

"You really do have a hard time without me, don't you?" Lily asked.

"Of course. I really like you," I answered.

She kissed me suddenly, so fast I didn't even know it was coming. It felt good, like winning a marathon. Then she got up and walked away. I asked her as she left, "Will you be showing up anytime soon?"

"I'll think about it," Lily replied.

_So we had shared two kisses and near death experiences together. We were two of a kind. We were meant to be together, in my opinion. It was tracking her down and finding a place where she wouldn't kill me that was the problem. This time was different, though. She had come to me. That meant that she must have some kind of feelings for me._

"Lucas!" Tony shouted.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you hear that?" Tony said.

_I hadn't noticed before, but there were noises like explosions going on above us. Apparently the war really was happening on Hyperion. _

"Captain Bridger?" Ford asked.

"I know, I hear them too," Bridger answered.

"I'm sensing disturbances all around us. I think the war is happening right above us," Smith stated.

"Make love, not war," Brody joked.

"I hope Tobias is okay," Lonnie replied.

"I wonder if it's this bad on Earth," Ortiz stated.

"It is. Lucas and I have been communicating with a psychic friend of mine on Earth, and she says the same thing is happening there," Smith said.

"At least we know that, no matter where the war is, we'll all be frozen through the whole thing," O'Neill pointed out.

"Dagwood doesn't want to be frozen. Dagwood wants to help," Dagwood said.

"Darwin scared," Darwin said.

"It's alright, Darwin. Maybe we'll get lucky and nobody will get hurt," I stated.

"That's a long shot," Ford retorted.

"Come on, now, if we all stick together, things will be fine," Bridger said.

"I think it's if we all freeze together," Brody joked.

"I can't feel my toes," Tony stated.

"I can't feel my nose," Brody said.

"I can't feel my fingers," Lonnie replied.

"I can't feel my eyeballs," Ford countered.

"I can't feel my hair," Ortiz joked.

"I can't feel my conscience," O'Neall said.

"I can't feel warmth," Smith stated.

"Dagwood can't feel his body," Dagwood replied.

"Darwin can't feel water," Darwin said.

"I can't feel under my arms," I stated.

"I can't feel my head," Bridger replied.

"What happens when I need to sneeze?" Lonnie asked.

"We're being put to sleep," Smith said.

_Just as suddenly as we were awake, we were all put to sleep again. I went directly to a memory I had when I saw Lily again. I never meant to see her, because I was at a dinner and dance special with Bridger, and I was really not supposed to be there. She wasn't either, since the people who were attending happened to be the very people who were trying to take her down. However, they didn't really know what she looked like, only her information through the computer, so when she appeared on stage, none of them knew that they were looking at one of the most notorious fugitives the UEO had ever known. _

_She twirled and moved and twirled like a beautiful ballerina. She had superb dance skills, and she seemed to know what she was doing with every kick and spin. She made a performance unlike any woman that I had ever known. She was so beautiful, letting her long red hair fall around her shoulders as she carefully performed each movement. It was truly something to see._

_After the performance, Lily, under the alias of Georgia, won notable mentioning for her dance piece. She came up to the podium and said, _"Thank you, everyone. I've always wanted to be a dancer, and I hope to perform for many more crowds in years to come."

_Everyone clapped, oblivious to the fact that she was a criminal. I went backstage afterward, but she was already gone. She had engraved in her makeup the letters L.W. I knew it was a sign, because those were my initials. _

_God, she was good._


	8. New flavor every day

_The war continued to rage above us in Hyperion. When I dreamed of meeting Laura on Earth, it was the same impression. Everywhere it seemed the bombs were going off. I wondered if Wolfman was taking the heat well in the SeaWest. I even wondered if Earth would still be the same when we got back. Would it still be a free thinking UEO government in the U.S., or would that all be destroyed? Would there still be land masses on Earth, or will California really sink into the ocean like the legends tell us? Could it be the end of the world, or is it just another glitch in the system of the universe? The more things happened around us, the more I wanted to go back into my memories of Lily. The more I wanted to think about Lily, the more Tony interrupted me. I don't know if he knew my thoughts and wanted me to stop thinking about them, or if he was just naturally the most annoying man on Earth and Hyperion._

"Lucas!" Tony shouted.

"What?" I asked.

"It smells like crap in here! Who farted, huh? Was it you, Brody?" Tony accused.

"It wasn't me, my ass is frozen!" Brody answered.

"We take one chewable tablet a day and that's supposed to be our food. We don't even get gas, Tony," Ford replied.

"Those tablets taste kind of bland. Do you think they have orange flavor?" Lonnie asked.

"I personally would like a new flavor every day, just to lighten the mood," O'Neill answered.

"Dagwood doesn't smell stink. Dagwood thinks Tony made his own crap smell," Dagwood said.

"Darwin lonely. Darwin want to play in water," Darwin replied.

"Does anyone know how Earth is doing?" Ortiz asked.

"It's currently under war just like Hyperion. I talked to Laura and she said that the UEO is winning, but that might have changed in the past few hours," Smith answered.

"Let's just keep our cool until we can find out what's going on," Bridger said.

_Suddenly a door opened and in came Tobias. I couldn't see him, but I could sense that something was amiss. He sighed and said, _"Our planet is still under attack by enemy forces. So far they have not penetrated our force fields, but there is a chance they could get through it by tomorrow. We will try our best to keep you safe."

"What happens if they penetrate the force fields?" Ford asked.

"We would be forced underground, where I can spend a lot more time with you, but we are hoping that it doesn't come to that," Tobias explained.

"Will we ever see the sun again?" Bridger asked.

There was a long pause before Tobias answered, "I'm hoping so."

_Then we were sent back to sleep again. There, I began to reminisce about Lily. I decided shortly after our second kiss that I was going to have to marry her. It was just ingrained in my brain, and I wasn't going to take any influence to get it out of my head. I found a ring at a store that had two dolphins wrapped around a diamond, and I knew that was the perfect ring to get for her. I bought it, kept it in my pocket, and hoped that we would run into each other again. While working on a computer system in a UEO protected island of civilians, I found Lily once again, also working on computers, acting as though she were one of the people there. She caught my gaze, then went back to working as she said, _"What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you the same question," I replied.

"I'm here working on computers. I see that they thought I couldn't handle it myself so they called you in," Lily answered.

"I was here first. Besides, when did you get clearance to work on UEO computers when you're a fugitive?" I asked.

"Copying UEO passes is not hard to do," Lily answered.

"That's yet another crime to add to your list," I said.

"Crime? What is this crime? I only borrowed a copy of the pass, that's all," Lily replied.

I handed her the ring from my pocket as I said, "Marry me."

"What?" Lily asked.

"Marry me. It can be in a small chapel in Vegas or somewhere where no one cares what we're doing. You don't even have to invite your parents. Just marry me and we'll get it over with," I answered.

"We've barely shared two kisses together and you're planning marriage? What's next, am I supposed to have your baby?" Lily asked.

"That could be arranged," I answered.

"Lucas Wolenczak, you expect me, a fugitive, to marry you, then you want me to have your children, and we haven't even shared a first date?" Lily said.

"Exactly," I answered.

"Okay," Lily replied.

_So we really went to a chapel in Vegas the next day and officially got married. Was it a stretch? Of course. Was I being stupid, shallow and self-righteous? You bet. Did it matter to me at all that I was throwing my life away to chase around a fugitive of the law? Nope. _

_Immediately after our two minute ceremony with an Elvis impersonator, Lily took me around back and we made out for a while before she said, _"You do realize that I'm still a fugitive and therefore I won't be around much until my charges are lifted."

"I'm already working on that," I answered.

"I'm fighting the urge to take you to a motel room and make a man out of you," Lily said.

"You lead and I'll follow," I replied.

_So we spent our first night together in a motel room in Vegas, far from my family and friends and all the hopes and dreams I had developed over the years. I wouldn't even admit to myself that it was the wost idea in the book of worst ideas, but what the Hell, I had already done it and that was it. _

_Needless to say, when I woke up the next morning, Lily was gone._


	9. Stay in those moments forever

_I wasn't necessarily feeling well in the days after getting married to Lily. She had disappeared into parts unknown, and I was left to go back to the SeaQuest and pretend like I was hunting her down. Even now, while cryogenically frozen, I could still smell the sweet strawberry scent of her hair and I could still fathom the beautiful way she laughed. I wanted to stay in those moments forever, adoring them in a way that I could keep reviewing over and over in my head, but Tony would have none of that._

"Lucas, let's play a mind game," Tony said.

"What kind of mind game?" I asked.

"Like I send you images of a person, place or thing, and you try to guess who or what it is," Tony answered.

"Dagwood wants to play! Dagwood likes games," Dagwood replied.

"Count me in too," Ortiz said.

"I want to go first," Brody replied.

"Do we really have time for games when there's a war going on above us?" Lonnie asked.

"There is always enough time for games," O'Neill countered.

"Alright, I'm thinking of a person," Brody said, and he gave us all an image in our minds of who it was.

"That's Keanu Reeves in The Matrix! A total classic!" Tony shouted.

"Alright, I'm thinking of a place," Ford replied, and he projected an image to us.

"I know that place, I know that place," Smith chanted to herself.

"It's Mt. St. Helen's before she exploded in 2015," Bridger answered.

"Are we keeping score?" Lonnie asked.

"Okay, let's play a different game. I think of a word and you say what comes to your mind about it. We'll start with bow," O'Neill stated.

"And arrow," Ortiz answered.

"Ribbon, tie," Brody said.

"Bow as in a big red bow, or beau as in boyfriend?" Lonnie asked.

"A bow makes me think of presents," I answered.

"Or a big red bow around a little puppy," Dagwood added.

"What about time?" Ford asked.

"We have too much of it," Brody answered.

"I feel like we don't have enough," Lonnie countered.

"A clock, and numbers, and what my coach always pointed too when I was being too slow," Tony answered.

"Time to eat," O'Neill replied.

"Time to work," Smith added.

"Time to play," Ortiz finished.

"Okay, what's your favorite singer?" Brody asked.

"Paul McCartney," Ford answered.

"Nickelback," I replied.

"Definitely Metallica," Tony countered.

"IZ," Lonnie said.

"I like that IZ song with the lyrics to Somewhere Over the Rainbow and What A Wonderful World put together," O'Neill said.

"Cher," Bridger replied.

"You like Cher, captain?" Ford asked.

"She has good songs," Bridger answered.

"I would have to say Paul McCartney too," Smith said.

"Theory of A Deadman," Brody replied.

"Def Leppard," Ortiz countered.

"What about movies?" O'Neill asked.

"Superman 47," Brody said.

"No, Batman 21," Ford countered.

"Alien 7," Lonnie said.

"Oh crap, I think that tired thing is..." Tony started.

_Then we were all put into our deep sleep state again. I quickly went back into my memory banks to relive my time with Lily, in the days after our marriage. I was working on another computer systems dump when I heard something in the ventilation shaft above me. I was in the SeaQuest DSV, and we were submerged, so I thought it was Tony playing a trick on me. I opened up the shaft and shouted into it, _"I know you're there, Tony!"

"Tony? You thought I was Tony?" Lily asked.

She climbed down from the shaft and immediately we started making out. We did that for who knows how long before we lay on my bed together and I asked, "Where have you been?"

"It's kind of sad, not knowing where your wife is and all," Lily said.

"There's got to be some way for me to contact you," I replied.

"I'll contact you," Lily answered.

"What if I don't hear from you in a while? Does that mean that you're dead?" I asked.

"I already have a system set up so that if I die, someone will send you a letter to let you know," Lily answered.

"Oh, well that's a relief," I joked.

"You know, we have some time before I have to hide away again," Lily said.

"I was thinking the same thing," I answered.

_I was happy to have some time with Lily, but I was also very unsure. What would happen if she were caught by the UEO or even died? Would I ever find out? I wanted to tell her that I was worried about her and I wanted her to keep more contact with me, but I knew that it was impossible. She was taking a hard chance just by stowing away on the SeaQuest. The only thing I could do now was be with her and hope that she didn't try to kill me this time._


	10. The Booze Fairy

_So some time had passed on Hyperion, but we were still stuck underground, frozen and unable to move. Tobias was about the only one who made conversation with us, and from what he was saying, times were dreary. Now it was Christmas Eve Earth time, but we were still on Hyperion and all our loved ones thought we were dead. It didn't take long for Tony to speak up about it._

"Tobias, we've got a problem," Tony stated.

"About what?" Tobias asked.

"It's Christmas Eve on Earth and we're stuck on this planet in a frozen state with nothing to do," Tony answered.

"It's Christmas Eve? Aw, I love Christmas," Lonnie said.

"Dagwood loves Christmas," Dagwood replied.

"Darwin loves lights," Darwin added.

"I'm sorry, but we do not celebrate Christmas on Hyperion. There is not much I can do," Tobias said.

"Could you put on carol music or something?" Ford asked.

"No, we don't have music like that, but I could play some Hyperion favorites," Tobias answered.

"Why don't you do that and put us in the spirit," Bridger said.

"It will at least make me feel better," Smith added.

"I hate carols and I hate opera, so it better not be either of those," Brody said.

"Does Hyperion have guitar?" Ortiz asked.

"I want to hear something with some spirit to it," O'Neill stated.

"I think that I can do that for all of you," Tobias said.

He worked on a few things as Tony asked me, "Lucas! What did you ask Santa for Christmas this year?"

"I asked to go home," I answered.

"I asked for that too, but I don't think Santa delivers to Hyperion," Brody stated.

"Dagwood loves Santa," Dagwood said.

"I'm not too fond of the jolly fat man myself," Ford said.

"Why not?" Dagwood asked.

"Because I don't think a man that fat could get down a chimney," Ford answered.

"He's magic," Dagwood said.

"So is David Copperfield but he can't fit down a little chimney either," Ortiz mentioned.

"I don't care what any of you think, I still believe in Santa," Lonnie said.

"I believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Booze Fairy, and that's about it," Tony stated.

"The Booze Fairy?" O'Neill asked.

"Yeah. Girls, drinks, can't get much better than that," Tony answered.

_Then the music began to play. It sounded kind of full of pipes, all fluttery and magical, but it was also very mesmerizing. While we were listening to it quietly, I started thinking about my first Christmas married to Lily. She of course hadn't spoken to me in months, and I hadn't heard from her either. She finally sent me an encrypted message that basically told me to go to the Romuge in Florida. I bought her a really nice necklace with a heart on it, and I waited there for her. _

_Finally she showed up, and we sat toward the back. She handed me a gift as she said, _"I want you to have this."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Open it," she answered.

I ripped open the packaging and looked inside to find one of those PSP3 hand helds. I laughed and said, "I've always wanted one."

"I thought you might like a gadget that you can take around with you," Lily said.

"I got you something," I replied as I handed her my gift.

She opened it excitedly and gasped when she saw the necklace.

"Oh, I love it! Thank you so much!" she smiled.

That's when I noticed him.

It was a member of the elite inner circle of the UEO. He had been sitting a ways away from us, and I hadn't seen him until that moment. I signaled to Lily as I said, "You need to go."

"What? I just got here," Lily started.

"We're being watched," I finished.

We got up to leave when the UEO official got up to stop us. I grabbed a plate of food and launched it at him while Lily ran toward the door. Unfortunately, there were other UEO members waiting for her there. They started arresting her as the UEO official came up to me and said, "You're finished, Lucas Wolenczak."

"That's what you think," I replied.


	11. The kid next door gone wrong

_So there I was, standing in front of the entire UEO with an expression of guilt and anger. I was guilty that I had not mentioned the fact that I was married to the very girl I was supposed to be hunting down, and I was angry that the UEO caught me. Admiral Noyce was staring at me like I was the kid next door gone wrong. I knew this meant that I was going to lose my ability to be on the SeaQuest, and I was also going to lose just about every privilege I had worked my ass off for. That's what I got for messing with the UEO._

"Mr. Wolenczak, it has come to our attention that you have been hiding a fugitive from the UEO for sometime now," Noyce started.

"Yes, sir," I answered, not seeing the point in lying.

"And you are legally married to her?" Noyce asked.

Oh crap.

"Well, yeah, you could say that," I surmised.

Bridger was seated behind me, and I could feel his eyes on me as Noyce continued, "Mr. Wolenczak, you have broken more laws just by making contact with this girl than most other offenders in the country. You are only surpassed by murderers and oil spillers."

"I try to think of myself as above a murderer, sir," I stated sarcastically.

"Mr. Wolencak, this is no laughing matter. You are looking at up to thirty-five years in prison, plus the revocation of your rights to handle the internet ever again," Noyce stated.

"I guess there's no way to get that back, but I must tell you that I did track her down using the internet, and I believe that was what I was supposed to do," I continued.

The other UEO members started getting flustered, and it took a while for Noyce to calm them down before he said, "Mr. Wolenczak, you are most certainly making yourself sound guilty. We have already looked at the evidence and there isn't even a reason to go on trial because of the blatant proof of your convictions. I don't see this as funny at all."

"I wouldn't see it as funny, except that I know I've got nothing to lose so why not shake things up," I said.

"Mr. Wolenczak, please! You are going to the Florida State Penitentiary just as soon as you finish removing your belongings from the SeaQuest. You will be allowed five minutes to say good-bye to your friends, then you will be imprisoned until the time comes that the UEO can make a decision in your case," Noyce explained.

"Fine by me," I said.

Bridger stood up at that moment and stated, "Admiral Noyce, I would like to take custody of Lucas while he is on the SeaQuest. I'm asking for no guards or police officers to be with him for that time. I believe I can talk some sense into him before it's too late."

Noyce stared at Bridger for a long time, then he said, "Alright, Captain. You may have your time with Lucas, then you will have to turn him over to the proper authorities."

"You have my word," Bridger replied.

* * *

><p><em>So I went back to the SeaQuest to gather my things. Everyone except Tony and Dagwood were quiet toward me, watching me like I had done something terrible. I knew that I had betrayed them all by making contact with a fugitive, and I had made a huge mistake putting the SeaQuest at risk. <em>

"So you're going to the big Shoe, huh? Far away from the luxury of a life at sea," Tony said.

"Why is Lucas leaving?" Dagwood asked, confused.

"I have to leave because I did something wrong, Dagwood," I explained.

"Yeah, Dag, he broke the law. You know what happens when people break the law," Tony said.

"They are sent to prison. I don't want Lucas to go to prison," Dagwood stated.

Tony put his arm on my shoulder and said, "Don't worry, kid, just pretend like you're a crazy person with nothing to lose, and tell them you killed a few people, then that'll get them off your back."

"Thanks Tony," I replied.

"No problem," Tony surmised.

Bridger came up at that moment, then he said to Tony and Dagwood, "May I take Lucas?"

"Sure thing, Cap," Tony replied, as he let me go with Bridger.

Bridger led me back to his quarters, where he had me sit down in a chair. Although we were supposed to be docked, I could've sworn I felt us moving. Bridger started with, "What were you thinking, Lucas? You could've gotten killed."

"Actually, I almost did," I replied.

"Marrying a fugitive and hiding her behind our backs? That is something that is unforgivable among my crew. I trusted you with everything I had and you've used it against me," Bridger said, still with a calm voice.

"I'm sorry, sir. I fell in love with her and I know I made a mistake. Now I'm going to pay for it for the next thirty-five years," I said.

Bridger sat down in a chair next to me and stated, "No, you aren't."

I stared at him. I didn't think of Bridger as the kind of guy who would say something like that. I finally asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Because I've been talking with Tobias, and he wants the SeaQuest on Hyperion," Bridger answered.

It provoked me to ask, "Are we moving?"

"Yes. The SeaQuest is submerged and we're in the Bermuda Triangle. Tobias said it is a landing and departure site for UFOs. He's picking us up as we speak," Bridger said.

I didn't believe it. There must've been some inside joke and everybody was in on it. No way had Bridger gone through the trouble of actually sending us into space. I knew of Tobias's home planet, and I knew it was not from around here. How could Tobias possibly take a submarine into space like that? It was ridiculous. I finally said, "Alright, this is a joke, right? You're all playing me into some elaborate game. Did Tony put you up to this?"

The door to Bridger's quarters opened, and Tobias appeared as he said, "This is no joke. We're going to Hyperion."


	12. Could I share some thoughts with you?

_And that's how I got on Hyperion. I still miss Lily like hell and I wonder what happened to her. I can't believe that I've made it this long without her. My beautiful wife somewhere in a state prison, probably getting buffed by stronger women and stabbed in the back by so called friends. As for me, I was frozen on another planet and supposedly dead. Even if I did manage to make it back to Earth, SeaQuest would be no more. I'd be in prison and Bridger would be serving time for taking off with a fugitive. No matter how I tried to mend the situation, someone was bound to end up doing prison time. _

"Hey, Lucas?" Tony asked.

"What?" I replied.

"Do you think there are nice chicks on Hyperion?" Tony asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Brody broke in with.

"I mean, we've been here for Hyperion's equivalent to over two years. That could be hundreds of years on Earth time for all we know. I say we just live out our days on Hyperion...if they have chicks," Tony explained.

"Well Tobias is fairly handsome, so I guess the women wouldn't be much different," Lonnie said.

"No way! I'm not marrying or even dating an alien!" Brody shouted.

"I don't know, myself. It would depend on what they looked like," O'Neill put in.

"I'd rather stay with Homo Sapiens," Ortiz said.

"Me, too," Ford stated.

"Dagwood would not mind aliens, as long as they are nice aliens," Dagwood said.

"Darwin likes Tobias. Darwin likes aliens," Darwin replied.

"I've been speaking to Laura Fletcher on Earth, and she has told me that approximately thirty-four years have passed on Earth," Smith said.

Things were quiet for a moment, then Bridger stated, "We are going to find a way out of here and we'll be back home soon. We just have to sit tight until then."

"You mean sit frozen, captain," Brody replied.

We heard the footsteps of someone coming up to us, so we all quieted down. The soothing voice of Tobias said, "There is good news. The war on Hyperion is over!"

We all said our phrases of praise before Tobias continued, "It has allowed us a re-entry back to Earth. I am fully planning to take you back, but there will be underlying circumstances to do that."

"What do we have to do?" Bridger asked.

"According to our time-space travel, we will not be bringing you back at the present Earth time. Instead, we will be bringing you back nearly a year before you left for Hyperion. It was the only time that we considered would get you out of the mess you left behind," Tobias said, and I could tell he was talking about me.

"That sounds perfect, Tobias. Is there anything else we can do for you?" Bridger asked.

"There is nothing more I need from you. All I ask is that you never tell anyone about your experience here on Hyperion. You never know when they are an enemy alien in disguise," Tobias said.

"You have our word," Bridger stated, and I remembered the last time he said that.

We waited for a few seconds, and there was nothing. Tony asked, "Are we supposed to feel something?"

Then there was a tugging at my feet. I didn't even feel what happened next, just that I found myself finally able to open my eyes again. I was back in the SeaQuest, lying in bed, and I was all wet. I got up and looked around, then I realized Tony was in the bed under me. He got up too and rubbed his eyes, then he opened them wide as he said, "I can see! I can see at last!"

We went out to the hallway, where we found everyone else hugging each other and jumping for joy. I hugged just about everybody and felt great myself, not thinking about where we were or what time it was. Finally Bridger asked, "Does anyone know the time?"

We all went to the bridge, where O'Neill checked the computer and said, "Sir, we're back to 2021, the year before we went to Hyperion, just like Tobias said."

"Well, everyone, we're back on Earth. I'm giving everyone a month of shore leave, so you can catch up on whatever you've missed. Remember that no one else will remember the passage of time, so to them you've never been gone. Be sure to make them feel like you've never been gone," Bridger explained.

Tony was out within seconds, ready to go through the town and meet the chicks, while Dagwood went with him and Brody followed. Ford took Lonnie out on a date, while O'Neill went to see his parents and Ortiz was ready to ask his girlfriend to marry him. Smith went to see her father, and Bridger was headed back to his private island for a while. I went straight to the computer, where I looked up the only person that meant something to me. We weren't married yet, and thankfully Lily had not broken the law yet. I located her computer in Florida and immediately found her in an ice cream shop. I went straight there and found her working at her computer in the far corner. She looked just as beautiful as I remembered her. I walked right over there, pointed at her computer and asked, "Are you good at these things?"

"Computers? Oh, I have some talent," Lily answered.

"I'm pretty good at them myself. I hate the whole idea of password protected sites, though," I said.

"Oh yeah, I hate those, too. Sometimes I want to break into them and see what must be kept so hidden," Lily stated.

"I promise, it's nothing important," I said.

"You've broken into those sites?" Lily asked, interested.

I sat down next to her as I replied, "No, but I know someone who works for them, and I can tell you, it's not as interesting as you think."

"Well that makes it sound boring. Maybe it's not such a good idea, huh?" Lily asked.

"It's not, believe me," I answered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. I'm Lily," she said as she put her hand out.

I shook it as I replied, "I'm Lucas Wolenczak, and I feel like I've been dead for the past two years. Could I share some of my thoughts with you?


End file.
